Accra, March 18, GNA – The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has appealed to the public to contribute to the protection of water resources in communities.
The Ministry asked the citizenry to abstain from mining in water bodies, and inappropriate fishing practices that polluted fresh water sources and threatened water accessibility.
Speaking at the media launch of the 2024 World Water Day in Accra, Mr Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, said the proportion of Ghana’s water bodies with good ambient water quality stood at 58 per cent.
He said although the country was water secure, the continuous destruction of the country’s water resources through illegal activities could be catastrophic in future.
“Our inability to get it right will continue to reduce (ambient water quality) percentage and eventually affect the water that we can treat and distribute.
“We have to deal with issues of illegal mining, how we handle the environment and all that,” he said.
Mr Chinnia said the peaceful utilisation of water resources was at the core of sustainable development and the promotion of health.
He said the Ministry would collaborate with the various agencies and ministries to tackle illegal mining and fishing activities that compromised the sustainability of the country’s water resources.
Celebrated annually on 22 March, World Water Day raises awareness and inspires action to tackle the water and sanitation crisis.
This year’s global celebration is on the theme: “Leveraging Water for Peace” and highlights the critical role that water plays in the stability and prosperity of the world.
The Day will be commemorated in Ghana on the theme: “promoting utilisation of water for peace.”
It is estimated that more than three billion people depend on water that crosses national borders, but 2.2 billion people lack access to drinking water globally, according to the United Nations.
Data from the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources indicate that water delivery in Ghana currently stands at 87.7 per cent.
Mr Bob Alfa, Acting Executive Director of the Water Resources Commission, said the activities to mark World Water Day would highlight the significance of water in promoting peace and accelerating economic growth.
“I would like to call on all of us to work together towards promoting the conservation and sustainable utilisation of our precious resource,” he said.
GNA